Starter for internal-combustion engines



provision Patented Apr. 10, 1945 STARTER Foa George K. Smith,

ENG Butler, Pa.; Ethel Smith Shoe- INTERNAL-COMBUSTION INES ,makerexecutrix of said George K. Smith,l deceased Application January 26,1944, Serial 6 Claims.

The primary object of this invention is the for a manually operatedstarter as an integral part of an internal combustion engine, such as isused on small airplanes.

yAnother object is to provide a starter in the rear of the motor toeliminate the vchange of the center of .gravity as occurs when suchdevices are mounted ron the front of the motor.

Another object is to provide a manually operated starter for internalcombustion engines, being aunit extremely simple, compact in form, andmanufactured cheaply` .Another object is to eliminate the windresistance caused by starters whenmounted on the front. of the motor. iY

-Axother object is to'provide a starter which is who ly enclosed withina part ofthe motor casing.

This .invention consists essentially of a clutch applied to the crankshaft, preferably in the rear of the motor, as will be more fullydescribed in the following specication and shown `in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figi isv a view ofv the device looking toward the motor'showing one halfof the cover removed.

Fig. 2 isa cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.A K l Fig. 3 is avertical section on line l3---3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a Vertical section on line -4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5illustrates a modification.

Fig. 6 is across section on line 5-5 of Fig. 5.

As-shown rin the drawing, I`have designated generally a standard typeofan internalcombustion'motor IB in which a crank shaft II is rotatable. vY f a 'My present it canbe assembled, adjusted, and enclosed after themotor is assembled, and readjustmentand repairs canbe quickly'madewithout disassemblingor removing the motor.

The numeral I indicates generally a motor casing in which a crank shaftIltis journaled. On the casing I0 vis a`housing I2 surrounding thestarter and al coverplatef I3 yis secured on the housing12 by bolts I4.Within the housing I2 and revolvably mounted on the crank shaft II is aclutch rin'g- I5fwhich is provided with an L- shaped' opening I6extending from the -crank shaft outwardly and substantially in line withthe center of Athe crank shaft. Residing within a portion -of theopening I6 is a roller-gripping member I1l which is adapted to contactthe shaft I I. Also fitted within the outward portion of the opening I6is a wedge member I8 having the taperedside thereofin lcontact with therollerv I1 and adapted to move back and forth across the rollerdiametrically in relation thereto.

provides a, space I9. In this` space the roller I1 can move back andforth on the circumferencev of the shaft II. The portion of the openingI6, in which the wedge member I8 resides, is of a greater width than thewidth of the member I8 which also provides a space 2D. A small coiledspring 2| is contained within the clutch ringy l5, one end of whichabuts the wedge member I8 to maintain the wedge member in a forwardernor.- f mal position as shown in Fig. 1,

In order to hold the roller `I1 at its farthest position within thespace I6, an abutting pin member 22 and a small coiled spring k23associated therewith are contained within the clutch ring I5. The rollerI1. is thus held in axial alignment with the crank shaft bearing surface0f the crank shaft when the crank shaft is rotated in a clock-wisemanner.

`The roller I1 and .the wedge member I8 are positioned within theclutchring I so that their respective end portions 24 and 25 extend beyondthesides of the clutch ring I5.

Within the motor casing I 0 is an `arcuate cham! ber 26 and in thecoverplate I3 is a corresponding chamber 21. At the end ofthe arcuatechamber 26 are stops or abutment members 28 and 29. The coverplatechamber 21 has vcorresponding and equally spaced stops or abutmentmembers 28 and 29. The aboutment stops within the chambers engage withrthe ends. 24 and '25 to limit the rotation of the clutch ring I5. Thearc of the chamber and abutting stops at the ends thereof determine theduration of engagement of the gripping roller and the ,crank sha-ft. .Aportion of the periphery of the clutchA ring is providedwith' teeth 32and teeth 33 in a slid-r able member 34 are arranged to engageytherewith andl haveV a sliding movement within the housing I2.

A coiled spring 35 is partly housed withinthe' and its outward -end isIll in any suitable slidable member 34 mounted on the motor casingmanner required (not shown) In Fig. 1 the starter is shown in a normalor inoperative position, and the outer ends 24 of the gripping rollen-I1abut the stop members 29, cornpressing the spring 23 until the roller I1abuts the upper edge of the L-shaped opening IB, leavkinga space I9between the lower edge of the roller I1 andthe L-shapedvopening l;spring shown in Fig. 3) ,the

being impelled by a spring 2l until the thin por- L-shaped .opening I6,in

diameter of the roller I1 which II but may roller on thev IISy (as shownin Fig.l

wedge member I8 tion of the wedge member I 8 abuts the upper edge of theL-shaped opening I6, leaving a space between the lower edge of the wedgemember and the L-shaped opening IS, in which position the roller I1moves into a larger part of the opening I6 and such opening or chamberformed thereby, in conjunction with the wedge member I8, is such thatwhen the roller I'I has reached its extreme position, the housing spacetherefore will be too great for the roller I 1 to exert any gripping orbinding contact between the roller member I I' and the crank shaft I l;

As the clutch ring I5 rotates in a clockwise direction, the roller ends24 leave the abutting stops 29 and the spring 23 impels the roller I Iinto the smallest part of the opening I6 formed thereby, in conjunctionwith the thicker portion of the wedge member I 8, bringing the roller Ilinto locking engagement with the crank shaft II, re-

volving the shaft in a clockwise direction until the projection ends 25of the wedge member I8 come into contact with the stops 28 (as shown inFig. 3), compressing the spring 2|, retarding the wedge member I8 untilthe lower edge thereof abutsthe edge of the L -shaped opening (as shownin Fig. 3), removing the space 20 from the bottom to the top of thewedge member I8, thereby increasing the chamber or housing space;therefore the space will be too great for roller Il to exert anygripping action between the wedge y1 member I8 and the crank shaft II;therefore the said shaft may revolve freely in a clockwise direction andthe coiled spring through member 34 will return the clutch ring I5 toits normal position as previously recited; therefore the collar thenrotates counterclockwise, the rolls I1 will be rotated in a reversedirection in respect to the rotation when the clutch ring is driven in aclockwise direction and in such circumstances there will be no tendencyfor the roller I'I to grip the crank shaft II; therefore in the normalrotation of the crank shaft, the gripping roller will have a freemovement therein.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, in the modification I employ a returnspring 38 Wound around i the clutch ring I5, one end thereof beinganchored to the clutch ring I5 by a hook'member 39 andthe opposite endthereof being secured by a stud 40 on the motor casing I0. A cable IIIis wound in a groove 42 on the clutch ring I5 L and one end thereof issecured to the clutch ring I5 and the other end is used for operatingthe starter which may be conveniently run in any angle or direction tosuit the different arrangements on different types and models .ofplanes. The operation is the same in effect as the rst describedconstruction.

While I have necessarily shown and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention somewhat in detail, it is to be understood that I may varythe size, shape, and varrangement of parts within wide limits withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a manually operated starter for internal combustion engines havingan inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on thesaid inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft Within thesaid housing, an L- shaped opening therein, a clutch roller Within saidopening, a tapered member slidably vmounted therein and arranged to moveacross the clutch roller and arranged to. operatively engage the crankshaft, and means within the housing for limiting the duration ofengagement therewith.

2. In a manually operated starter for internal combustion engines havingan inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on thesaid inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within thesaid housing, an L-shaped opening therein, a roller member in saidopening, a tapered non-rotatable movable within the chamber across thesaid roller diametrically therewith to urge the said roller intorotating contact with the crank shaft, means for moving the taperedmember, means for disengaging the roller from gripping contact with thesaid shaft, and means within the housing for limiting the duration ofengagement therewith.

3. A manually operated sta-rter for internal combustion engines havingan inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on thesaid inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of the said shaft within thesaid housing, a shaped opening within said clutch member, a rollerWithin the said opening having ends protruding beyond the side of theclutch member, a tapered non-rotatable member mounted within the saidopening and ends protruding beyond the sides of the clutch member asmeans co-,acting with the means within the housing for limiting theduration therewith, and resilient means to return the clutch member toan inactive position.

4. A manually .operated starter for internal combustion engines havingan inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on thesaid inclosure, .a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within thesaid housing, said clutch member having a tooth portion thereon, aIslidable member having a tooth iportion slidiably mounted in the saidhousing and arranged to engage the tooth portion on the clutch memberfor the rocking thereof, said clutch member provided with gripping meansand arranged to engage the crank shaft when the rotatable member ismoved in one direction and arranged to travel idly over the crank shaftwhen it is moved in an opposite direction to a non-gripping position,and including resilient means for returning the clutch member to aninactive position.

5. A manually operated starter. for internal combustion engines havingan inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a vstarter housing on thesaid inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within thesaid housing, a shaped opening therein, a clutch roller and a slidablemember therein, resilient means associated with the said roller as meansto normally move said roll into contact with said shaft, and resilientmeans associatedfwith the tapered member to normally move the saidmember, and members within thev housing arranged to disengage thegripping contact of the said roller.

6. A manually operatedstarter for internal combustion engines having aninclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the saidinclosure, a clutch member-:on the rear of said shaft Within the saidhousing, means associated within the clutch member for rocking the saidmember, a chamber within the .clutch member, means Within the clutchmember for gripping the said crank, resilient means for holding thegripping means in gripping contact, and resilient means to return theclutch lmember to an inactive position.

GEORGE K. SMITH.

